The Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction and young readers’ literature. It was created to celebrate the 81 years of discerning, thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to both the publishing industry and readers at large. Books that earned the Kirkus Star with publication dates between November 1, 2014, and October 31, 2015, are automatically nominated for the 2015 Kirkus Prize, and the winners will be selected on October 23, 2015, by an esteemed panel composed of nationally respected writers and highly regarded booksellers, librarians and Kirkus critics.

KIRKUS REVIEW

From the time when, at a week old, she's given to her human foster mother (Mary) until nine months later, when she joins the adult tigers in their moated compound at Marine World Africa USA (in Vallejo, California), the experiences of Tara, a Bengal tiger cub, are depicted in a straightforward text and dozens of color photos. Hewett explains how the tigers are raised ``to accept people as their friends and protectors''; at night, Tara goes home with Mary, who keeps her in a playpen, plays with her, and teaches her to be gentle and affectionate. As Tara gets older, her experiences broaden; she even visits a classroom. As far as it goes, it's an appealing account, though there's a curious silence on why the cubs are raised by humans, what has become of the 60 Mary has raised, and what role (if any) the process has in preserving the species. The photos are outstanding--blown up to fill the generously sized pages or in delightful sequences of related frames, they present the little tiger as a lithe, healthy specimen and an enchanting personality. (Nonfiction. 5-10)

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